[HANASHIR:15519] RE: Milken Archive

[Adrian Durlester <adrian...>]

Ayelet:

Our complaint is not specifically about the web site, but rather the entire
focus of the Milken Archive's work. Nothing has changed since I (and others)
made our original complaints to Rebecca Rona. The contemporary American
Jewish liturgical folk genre that I and the hundreds of members of the Hava
Nashira community represent continues to be absent from your web sight, and
only gets the most minimal of mentions, even in plans for future releases.
Although there are promises of "things to come" it remains clear that your
editorial board doesn't see what we do as being as legitimate or important
as other music.  Even the conference is devoid of this thriving genre,
which, I daresay, represents what most people are hearing in their
synagogues, camps, JCCs etc. these days. It is the music of Debbie Friedman,
Jeff Klepper, Craig Taubman, Doug Cotler, Julie Silver, Michael Isaacson,
Steve Dropkin, Beth Shafer et al that is now finding favor over Lewandowski,
Sulzer, Steinberg, Adler, Janowski, Richards, Kingsley, et al. At least in
the Reform community. The popular music of the American frum communities is
also missing--Yehuda, Abie Rotenberg, etc.  The Milken Archive continues to
represent a Jewish music that is focused on the classical music scene,
Klezmer, Choral, Hazzanut. While all this music is wonderful, and Jewish, it
is simply not representative of what is happening now, today, in the Jewish
community. It would be like a Christian archive only focusing on classic
works from their hymnals, and not including Sandi Patti, Kathy Mattea, and
the hundreds of rock and folk groups wildly popular among Christian youth.
It would be like an Israeli archive focusing on the works of Israeli classic
composers like Frankenberger, Ben-Haim, Partos, Tal, et al and ignoring the
work of Naomi Shemer, Shlomo Carlebach, Uzi Hitman, Tzvika Pik, etc.

When this changes, the comments on our web site will change.

Gmar chatimah tovah,

Adrian A. Durlester, MTS
E-mail: adrian (at) durlester(dot)com  www.durlester.com
Director of Education & Congregational Life, Bethesda Jewish Congregation,
Bethesda, MD
www.bethesdajewish.com
Co-Director, Hazamir/JTAI Choir of Greater DC
Past Conf Chair, CAJE 27, August 4-8, 2002, Trinity University, San Antonio,
TX
List Owner, hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Jewish Songleaders/Performers List
www.ehavanashira.org
Co-Owner, l-torah (at) shamash(dot)org; Liberal Torah Discussion List




-----Original Message-----
From: ayelets (at) musicarc(dot)org [mailto:ayelets (at) musicarc(dot)org] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 6:31 PM
To: adrian (at) ehavanashira(dot)org
Subject: Milken Archive


Dear Adrian,
I work for JTS and the Milken Archive on the ONLY IN AMERICA
conference-festival to be held in NYC from 7-11 of November. I saw in your
web site a short mention of the Milken archive in which you are disappointed
with the Milken Archive web site. Please visit the web site again and update
your wonderful Hava Nashira web site. Also, if you could mention the
conference which will have many workshops, choral, klezmer and others. There
is a whole section on the conference on the Milken archive web site. Thank
you. Shana Tova, Ayelet Seroussi Conference Coordinator




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